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A Duet of Taste : Taiwan's Putao Fortified Wine & Germany's Saar Riesling

◎English Translation by Peng Hsin-yi
◎Photos by Lin Yu-en

     In recent years, people in Taiwan have become more aware of the grand scene of international fine dining. Since 2010, Michelin three-star chefs have been invited to Taiwan by prominent restaurants, such as Villa 32 in Taipei and Pasadena in Kaohsiung, to be guest chefs for special events. Wine pairing is an essential part of a perfect dining experience, and the sommelier enlisted to collaborate in these events was Assistant Professor Chen Cian-hao of the Department of Food & Beverage Management, National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism. Professor Chen selected two very unique wines that were recently introduced to the world. Both were produced locally and in small batches, and have distinctive characters that could hold their own as companions to the gourmet food produced by the Michelin three-star chefs.

     Professor Chen explained that instead of resorting to famous, established wineries, many sommeliers like to visit small countryside wineries, looking for hidden gems produced in small quantities, drunk by locals, and full of regional character - yet rarely seen outside the area.

     The first wine selected by Professor Chen was Saar Riesling, a dry white wine produced by Peter Lauer, a German winery located in the Mosel wine region along the Mosel River. The region's slate soil allows vines to dig their roots deeply into the earth. The grapes are small, thick-skinned and high in sugar content, with a distinctive mineral flavor to them. The characteristics of the grapes are fully captured and reflected in the wines produced from them; mildly acidic, and refreshing with a pleasing feel in the drinker's mouth. They go well with seafood dishes, and especially with grilled salmon.

     Putao fortified wine is the first Taiwanese wine to be included in a Michelin star dining experience. Putao Wine was a result of collaboration between National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism and Shu-sheug Winery in Houli, Taichung. Made exclusively with Golden Muscatel grapes, Putao Wine was fortified with grappa-style pomace brandy and matured in caskets. It was heat-treated during the maturing process by solar thermal energy, a unique characteristic fully utilizing south Taiwan's abundant sunshine. Professor Chen first started experimenting in 2004, and it took him over six years to bring Putao Wine to the consumer market. When Putao Wine debuted in 2010, only 200 bottles were available. But the wine did not escape the attention of Christian Le Squer, a Michelin three-star chef then working in Pasadena as a guest chef. Mr. Le Squer chose Putao Wine as the pairing wine for his signature dessert, Croquant de Pamplemousse Cuit et Cru Au citron vert. This dessert contains a layer of candied grapefruit, a layer of raw grapefruit marinated in lime, pineapple sorbet, and a covering of cold caramel. Mr. Le Squer was very satisfied with the results of the pairing, saying a fortified wine tends to develop more complex flavors as it ages. He looks forward to tasting Putao Wine again in the future, to appreciate its richer, fuller effect.

     Putao Wine has a rich, luscious texture. Its aroma is so intense that it almost saturates the room as soon as as the liquid is poured into a glass, and it lingers for a long time while even after consumption. The sweetness of the Golden Muscatel grapes are accented by a caramel-like base note, with a unique undertone of preserved fruit.

台灣蒲桃酒和德國Saar Riesling Trocken

◎文／侯雅婷
◎攝影／林育恩

     2010-2011年，台灣吹起一股米其林三星主廚旋風 ，從台北的三二行館到高雄的帕莎蒂娜餐廳，都爭相聘請米其林三星主廚來台獻藝，並共同選擇由擁有釀酒師和侍酒師執照的陳千浩擔任首席侍酒師。隨著聖誕節和新年等佳節的到來，特別請任教於高雄餐旅大學餐飲管理系的陳千浩，推薦二款產量不大但獨具在地風味的新酒，台灣蒲桃酒和德國Saar Riesling Trocken雀屏中選。

     陳千浩提起，在國外侍酒師會下鄉找酒，針對那些生產數量少、不外銷，僅供當地人飲用，卻非常具在地特色的小酒廠，台灣蒲桃酒寫下台灣第一瓶農村酒莊葡萄酒翩然躍上米其林美食殿堂的紀錄。

     蒲桃酒是高雄餐旅大學自2004年起與台中后里樹生酒莊合作研發而成，採金黃葡萄，運用太陽光進行熱熟成釀造台灣葡萄酒。2010年正式量產，第一年產量只有兩百瓶，甫上市即獲高雄帕莎蒂娜法式餐廳邀請巴黎三星米其林餐廳主廚Christian Le Squer選為搭配招牌甜點糖蜜/新鮮葡萄柚雙重奏佐柑橘雪霜。主廚Christian Le Squer讚道，蒲桃酒存放的時間越久 ，將可創造出更豐富的風味。

     台灣製的蒲桃酒一開瓶，隨著琥珀色的瓊漿玉液倒入杯中，瞬間空氣中充滿濃郁飽滿的酒香，久久不散 ，湊近一聞，葡萄果香中帶點焦糖的香氣，更特別的是，酒中還交織著蜜餞的香氣。

     另一款Saar Riesling Trocken產於德國莫塞爾河，因為當地葉片岩的貧脊土地，葡萄樹會紮根很深，產出很小顆的葡萄，葡萄皮很厚且甜度很高，蘊含濃綢的礦物質風味，帶著自然清新的酸度，是款清爽的白酒，最適合搭配海鮮或烤鮭魚。